Beauty must come from inside to cast its spell outside

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I’ve always heard that the key to sleek hair starts with a good hairdryer, not flat iron. The flat iron is important too of course, but if your blow dryer leaves your hair course and frizzy, your flat iron can only compensate so much. After years of trying different dryers, I finally found one that works wonders.

Chi products have reached cult status in the beauty world, especially their flat irons but they don’t come cheap. They also have a reputation for being great and then breaking after about a year. Nothing lasts forever but if I pay $150, I expect to get more than a year out of it. But luckily I found a deal, I couldn’t refuse and decided to take the risk.

I was shopping for dryers on Amazon and stumbled across the Chi Deep Brilliance dryer on sale for 50% off, yes I said 50% off, plus free shipping! The reviews were great and the price was right, so I simply couldn’t refuse. I ordered the less popular orange shade and saved even more money, so I paid around $48.00 but the results I got were worth $100.00.

Here are the claims:

Smoothes coarse hair into soft, moveable hair

Shines hair using ceramic heat and ionic technology

Extremely quiet and lightweight

Quickly dries hair using far infrared technology

Ergonomically designed for comfort and control

I have biracial, course hair that is very thick and tangly. I was a little nervous about how small this dryer is but let me tell you, this little dryer lives up to every claim. My drying time was cut in half and my hair was smooth and shiny before I put any of my usual hair serums and oils in. My flat iron also came out smooth and sleek, I was left with super bouncy and lightweight hair. I’m sorry I don’t have pictures to show you the results, I will try and add some the next time I use the dryer.

This dryer is super lightweight and easy to manage, it’s also very quiet. There is a non-slip bumper to keep it from falling off of the counter and there is an ion switch that helps make hair smooth and shiny. I also love that the vent is removable so you can clean it easily.

The dryer comes with three attachments: A comb attachment, a concentrator nozzle, and a diffuser. I used the comb attachment which was very sturdy and didn’t fall off while I was blow drying (I hate when that happens). It also came with free .05 oz samples of hydration shampoo and a moisture treatment, which I haven’t used yet.

If your old dryer just isn’t getting the job done, try the Chi Deep Brilliance, you won’t be disappointed. I just hope the claims about Chi products breaking right after a year is not true, especially now that I can’t live without this dryer in my life.

I’m a huge mascara freak and for me, Maybelline can do no wrong. I’m an addict to the “the Falsies” mascara, but since I’m a sucker for advertising, I can’t help but try Maybelline’s newer mascaras. The Colassal Cat Eyes Mascara comes in a a nice yellow tube with orange cheetah print which I really like. The patented claw brush is very skinny and curvy, to give your lashes a “feline look.”

The collagen formula is supposed to give lashes 8X the volume with cat-like corners when you sweep from root to tip. I really love this mascara, it gives results in just a few strokes and doesn’t flake throughout the day. I use the Glam Black shade. You can’t go wrong with this mascara and it retails for less than $10.00. Check out the cute packaging and my glammed-up lashes below:

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I know it’s been quite a while since I posted. I really have no excuses except for life getting in the way. Between work, traveling, the holidays, and getting sick, I kind of lost my inspiration to blog. But it’s a new year and I’m back! I may have taken a short hiatus from blogging but I never lost my passion for beauty products. I’ve tried quite a few things that I’m excited to share with you guys.

I don’t know about you guys, but my lips get crazy dry during the winter. I live in the desert so dryness is always an issue but it has also been unusually cold lately for Vegas. Luckily for me the Body Shop has the most ingenious little product for getting rid of flaky skin on the lips. It’s called Lip Scuff and it’s basically a lip balm with exfoliating beads in it that buffs away dry skin. The balm also contains Marula oil which is a great moisturizer.

I usually scrub my lips for about 30 seconds which leaves a gross paste on your lips but it’s easy to wipe off. I usually use this scrub before bed, then I put on a thick balm to hydrate my lips over night. If your lips are super dry, try this every night for 5 days and you should have baby soft lips in no time. It only costs about $12.50, so it’s worth trying out.

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The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 9,500 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 16 years to get that many views.

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A couple of weeks ago, I bought a sample of Bath and Body Work’s new fragrance Forever Red and I absolutely love it. This scent is totally different than anything they’ve put out before, there is something very luxurious and sophisticated about it. Forever Red is definitely a scent that can compete in the fine fragrance category.

The notes consist of red pomegranate and a soft French peach with a blend of red osmanthus. Add in velvety marshmallow and vanilla rum for a scent that’s irresistible. I haven’t really smelled anything like Forever Red before. It’s kind of musky and bold without being super fruity or sweet. It smells like something a strong, independent woman would wear, not childish or too girly.

The employee at Bath and Body said the perfume is oil based instead of alcohol based so it lasts longer and you get more bang for your buck. Clearly, he lied to me because the first ingredient on the bottom of my sample is alcohol something rather. I can’t read the second word after alcohol, it looks like some kind of abbreviation. I don’t appreciate the lie but the scent does seem to last all day.

They have been pushing the scent hard and originally were only selling .25 fl oz bottles of the eau de parfum to preview Forever Red. My sample is running out, but luckily for me Bath and Body work just released the entire Forever Red collection. The collection consists of body wash, lotion, body mist shimmer, and everything in between. I personally think Bath and Body should have just kept this an exclusive perfume instead of pimping it out in a candle and home oil etc. like they do every other scent. What’s next, a wallflower? Mass producing it in every form somehow cheapens it and makes the scent less special, there is a such thing as too much of a good thing. I think I’ll be sticking to the perfume only, I have no desire to bathe in it. The full size body mist starts at $22 and the eau de parfum is $44.50. Check it out here.

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I know I’m way late with this post but October was a crazy month with a ton of ups and downs. I was going to skip this Birchbox post and start new with November, but this box had too many great things in it. To simply gloss over them as if they never existed would be blasphemy I say. Yes, I’m a little dramatic but it’s all for the love of beauty. October’s goodies were chosen by the brand goop.

Here’s what I got:

Amika Obliphica Nourishing Hair Mask: I normally hate hair samples because there is never enough product to cover my hair, it’s very thick and I have a lot! So not the case with Amika, in fact I had more than enough to coat each strand, so big props for that. This decadent mask is packed with omega acids, vitamin C and helps repair split ends. I left it on for 20 min before washing it out and my hair felt like silk! Blowdrying and styling was a breeze too. The 60 ml mask is only $12, I totally recommend it.

Chantecaille Faux Cils Mascara: If you read my blog regularly, you know I’m obsessed with mascara. So I was thrilled to get a sample of this mascara that is $42 retail! The first thing I noticed was the luxe packaging. Instead of the plastic packaging I’m used to, this mascara comes in a metal casing that has a good, sturdy weight to it. It feels expensive, as it should for $42! This mascara delivers, I got both volume and length that lasted all day. I’m torn on this product, I love it but I don’t know if I have $42 worth of love. I mean, my lashes look amazing, but are the results that much better than my usual mascara? I’ve included pics below to get your opinion.

DDF Wrinkle Resist Plus Pore Minimizer: This moisturizing serum is lush and thick, it fills in pores and wrinkles for instantly smooth skin. Peptides and vitamins provide long-term anti-aging benefits. This little tube of magic makes my skin feel so good and my mineral makeup stays in place all day. Love!

Eve Lom Cleanser and Muslin Cloth: This balm-like cleanser purifies and tones the skin. The finely woven muslin cloth is supposed to exfoliate without irritation. I like the idea of this product, my skin felt clean and soft afterward but nothing extraordinary. The reusable cloth is nice for traveling but I’m not impressed enough to order it. You can buy your own exfoliating cloth at Target and use a cleanser of your choice for similar results.

My Lifestyle Extra this month was a LemonZest bar by Luna. It was a tasty little treat that came in handy at work when I got the munchies, which is pretty much all of the time!

For me, Maybelline mascaras have ruled the scene for the last year, especially Maybelline the Falsies. But what’s a girl to do when Walgreen’s has a sale for Covergirl Cosmetics? I’ve always had a soft spot for Covergirl anyway, this brand was my first foray into makeup in junior high. Does anyone remember Lipslicks Lip gloss in Shimmering Sandstone? That was my first real lipstick ……. sorry, I was reminiscing about the good old days.

Anyway back to the present, I’ve used Covergirl Lashblast in the Orange Tube before but it was the purple tube that caught my eye this time. Lashblast Fusion promises to add volume and length with a buildable fiber-stretch lengthening formula. What girl doesn’t want lashes that are both longer and thicker?

The pros:

I love the fatty wand and the mascara goes on smooth with virtually no clumping. I do feel like my lashes looked longer, but I don’t know if they were as thick as I wanted. Application is really easy and there are no weird smells or irritations. The packaging is also very pretty and the fat tube makes it easy to control application.

The cons:

I don’t really know if these are cons, but I felt the formula could be a bit darker. The formula also comes off a little too easy. I don’t like waterproof mascara, so I got the regular formula. I don’t expect it to be bullet proof or anything but if my eye waters even in the slightest, the mascara is coming off. I expected it to have slightly more staying power.

The verdict:

I like this mascara but I’m not in love with it. When this tube runs out, I will be going back to my precious Falsies by Maybelline. It’s the absolute best drugstore mascara I’ve ever used hands down, the Falsies just can’t be beat! If you think there is a better mascara out there, please let me know.

As usual pics are below:

Here are my lashes with the mascara on, I forgot to take a before picture:

I occasionally use under-eye cream but have never really been consistent with it. A friend told me about Olay’s eye gel and I had to try out. I really like the gel consistency and since it’s clear that means it’s free of dyes and is also fragrance free, which is important around the eyes. This gel has Pro Vitamin B5 and Witch Hazel and Cucumber Extracts. The cucumber provides a nice cooling effect when you apply it but for an added treat, you can put it in the refrigerator so that it’s extra refreshing (thanks Rebekah for that tip).

I don’t have wrinkles just yet (thank God) and it’s too early to say if this gel is reducing my fine lines but the skin around my eyes does feel super soft and very hydrated. This gel just feels so freaking good going on, I’m hoping that it keeps future wrinkles at bay. I paid less than $10.00 on Amazon for this gel. If you are looking for an eye cream but don’t know where to start, I recommend this one. It feels like a dream and won’t break the bank.
Wat’s your favorite eye cream?

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This month’s Birchbox is pretty good, it’s just a hodgepodge of things to kick off the fall season. Birchbox has come a long way in two years. To thank their subscribers, they made an adorable thank you video. Click here to watch it on youtube, you’ll love them even more!

If you are not yet familiar with Birchbox, it’s a monthly beauty subscription service that is just $10 a month and you can cancel at anytime with no penalty. Based on a beauty profile that you fill out upon subscription, you will receive 4-5 deluxe beauty products a month. Sign up yourself or get more info at Birchbox.com.

Here’s what I got this month:

Color Club Custom Nail Polish: Birchbox teamed up with Color Club to make custom shades for the fall 2012 collection. I got a cool gunmetal grey shade that I really like. I find Color club polishes to be hit or miss, they are weirdly matte but this one is just right and a decent shade.

Nexxus Pro-Mend Split End Treatment System: I haven’t used this sample pack yet, so I have no review just yet. This is a good pack though, it comes with shampoo, conditioner, and a leave-in treatment to repair split ends. It’s infused with amino acids and coconut oil which I love.

Twistband: This is a lace “ouchless” hair tie. I find these ties great for working out, they hold tight without pulling out or snagging your hair.

Vasanti Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvinator: This exfoliating cleanser boasts papaya enzymes and microderm crystals to brighten the skin. I love this cleanser! The crystals are blended so finely, it doesn’t irritate or scratch the skin. Amazing!

Youngblood Mineral Primer: this clear gel primer goes on so smooth and makes skin feel baby soft. I normally don’t use primers but this is really nice.

Lifestyle Extra: I got a nice packet of teas from the Mighty Leaf Tea Company. I love tea so these are great. This month’s birchbox also came with a cool fall look book full of beauty tips.

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I’ve been using Olay products for a couple of years now and figured I should step up my game and use more anti-aging products now that I’m in my 30s. Olay Total Effects is my new favorite face wash, it’s a foaming cleanser that smells fantastic and fights 7 signs of aging.

The 7 benefits this cleaners provides are:

1. Deep Cleansing.

2. Skin Rejuvenation.

3. Fine line appearance reduction.

4. Pore appearance refinement.

5. Nourishing moisture.

6. Healthy-looking radiance.

7. Skin softness.

I can honestly say, my skin feels super fresh and my skin just seems to have a little glow and brightness to it. This cleanser is also really good at removing most of my makeup, It removes my mascara completely but sometimes I still have a faint ring of eye-liner on my bottom lashes. If your skin is dull or dry, I recommend this cleanser. I plan on switching to the Total Effects creams as well once my current ones run out.

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Bio

I'm originally from University Place, Washington but I have lived in sweltering Las Vegas for almost ten years. I have a degree in journalism and I dream of one day writing for my favorite magazine of all time, Marie Claire (I'm coming Nina Garcia). Until then I have an amazing job as a copy writer and I love all things fashion, beauty and entertainment related.